My Andrew: Day-to-Day Living with an ASD Child (iUniverse,
2004).
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0595331
130 ISBN: 0595331130 (paperback, 162 pages). [autism,account]
Liane Gentry Skye.
Turn Around, Bright Eyes - Snapshots from a Voyage Out of
Autism's Silence (PageFree Publishing, 2002). ISBN: 1589610245
(paperback, 248 pages). [autism,account]
Gisela Slater-Walker & Christopher Slater-Walker.
An Asperger Marriage (Jessica Kingsley, 2002). ISBN: 1843100177
(paperback, 160 pages). [autism,aspergers,account,adult]
Marianne Smith.
Things Beyond Our Seeing (Green Apple Publishing). Woman
describes the benefits of adjusting the her autistic son
Oliver's diet. http://members.aol.com/msmithbook/
[autism,nutrition,account]
Virginia Walker Sperry & Sally Provence.
Fragile Success: Nine Autistic Children, Childhood to Adulthood
(North Haven, Conn.: Archon Books, 1995). Traces their lives
for over 25 years. See also 2nd Edition. ISBN: 0208024131
(hardcover, 234 pages). [autism,account]
Virginia Walker Sperry & Sally Provence.
Fragile Success: Nine Autistic Children, Childhood to
Adulthood, 2nd Ed (Paul H. Brookes Pub Co., 2000). Traces
their lives for over 30 years.
http://www.pbrookes.com/e-catalog/books/sperry-4587/index.htm
ISBN: 1557664587 (paperback, 304 pages). [autism,account]
Patricia Stacey.
The Boy Who Loved Windows: Opening the Heart and Mind of a
Child Threatened With Autism (Merloyd Lawrence Books, 2003).
ISBN: 0738206660 (hardcover, 288 pages); ISBN: 073820966X
(paperback, 300 pages, Da Capo Press, 2004). [autism,account]
Mike Stanton.
Learning to Live With High Functioning Autism: A Parent's Guide
for Professionals (Jessica Kingsley Pub, 2000). Written by a
parent with professionals in mind.
http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/autism/sta_lea.html ISBN:
1853029157 (paperback, 128 pages). [autism,aspergers,account]
Cathy Steere.
Too Wise To Be Mistaken, Too Good To Be Unkind: Christian
Parents Contend With Autism (Grace and Truth Books, 2000).
http://www.graceandtruthbooks.com/ ISBN: 1930133006 (paperback,
192 pages); ISBN: 1930133030 (paperback, 253 pages, Grace and
Truth Books, 2005). [autism,account,religious]
Annabel Stehli, ed.
Dancing in the Rain: Stories of Exceptional Progress by Parents
of Children with Special Needs (Georgiana, 1995). Followup to
The Sound of a Miracle: stories about families experiences with
AIT. Not all the stories concern autism. Also tells what it is
like to have super-sensitive hearing. ISBN: 0964483807
(paperback). [autism,account,ait]
Annabel Stehli.
The Sound of a Miracle, A Child's Triumph Over Autism (New
York: Doubleday, 1991). Account of author's daughter
Georgiana's astonishing recovery from autism after receiving
Auditory Integration Training from Dr. Guy Berard, a physician
in Annecy, France. Note the book is out in a second edition
(below). http://www.vision3d.com/adhd/autism.shtml ISBN:
0380717395 ; ISBN: 0385411405 (4th Estate, 1992, paperback).
[autism,account,ait]
Annabel Stehli.
The Sound of a Miracle, A Child's Triumph Over Autism, 2nd
edition (Gorgiana Organization Inc, 1997). ISBN: 0964483815
(paperback, 226 pages). [autism,account,ait]
William Stillman.
Demystifying the Autistic Experience: A Humanistic Introduction
for Parents, Caregivers, and Educators (Jessica Kingsley,
2002). ISBN: 1843107260 (paperback, 144 pages).
[autism,account]
Uwe Stuecher.
Tommy: a treatment study of an autistic child (Arlington, Va.:
Council for Exceptional Children, 1972). 52 pages. Attempt to
combine aversive-free behaviour modification techniques with
relationship-building and play techniques to develop social
interaction. ISBN: 0865860866 . [autism,account]
Connor Sullivan.
I Love My Brother: A Preschooler's View of Living With a
Brother Who Has Autism (Phat Art 4 Publishing, 2001). Aimed at
preschoolers. ISBN: 0970658117 (hardcover, 24 pages).
[autism,aspergers,children,account]
Lynley Summers.
Autism is Not a Life Sentence: How One Family Took on Autism
and WON! (Autism Asperger Publishing Company, 2006). ISBN:
1931282889 (paperback, 203 pages, ISBN-13: 978-1931282888).
[autism,account]
Daniel Tammet.
Born On A Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an
Autistic Savant (Free Press, 2007). ISBN: 1416549013
(paperback, 256 pages). [autism,aspergers,account]
David Tomlinson.
Luckier than Most (Hodder & Stoughton, 1992). Autobiography of
the movie actor (Marry Poppins, etc), includes some account of
his autistic son. ISBN: 0340534842 (hardcover).
[autism,account]
Darold A. Treffert.
Extraordinary People: Understanding Savant Syndrome (New York:
Harper and Row, 1989). This is not specifically about autism
but is about savants, people with extraordinary abilities. Also
called Extraordinary People: Understanding 'Idiot Savants'.
ISBN: 0345365844 . [autism,account]
Ann P. Turnbull & H. Rutherford Turnbull, III.
Parents Speak Out: Views from the Other Side of the Two-Way
Mirror (Columbus: C.E. Merrill, 1978). c1978. Story of her
step-son Jay. ISBN: 0675010438 (paperback, 210 pages).
[autism,account]
Glenn Vatter.
Billy, A family's experience with multiply disabled child
(Jamesville, NY: Private printing, 1997). Billy has autism and
Down syndrome. No ISBN.
http://www.altonweb.com/cs/downsyndrome/books.html#vatter
[autism,disability,account]
Peter Vermeulen.
Autistic Thinking--This Is the Title (Taylor & Francis Group,
2001). ISBN: 1853029955 (paperback). [autism,account,se]
Ljiljana Vuletic, Michel Ferrari & Teodor Mihail.
Transfer Boy: Perspectives on Asperger Syndrome (Jessica
Kingsley Publishers, 2005). ISBN: 1843102137 (paperback, 192
pages). [autism,aspergers,account]
Junee Waites & Helen Swinbourne.
Smiling at Shadows: A Mother's Journey Raising an Autistic
Child (Ulysses Press, 2002). ISBN: 1569753237 (paperback, 253
pages). [autism,account]
Susan Stanhope Wexler.
The Story of Sandy (Bobbs-Merrill, 1955). I heard this
mentioned as an account of autism, but am not sure. From an
online review, I gather it has a lot to do with how Sandy was
raised. There is a 1970 paperback edition. ISBN: 0451081021
(Signet, Revised edition 1957). [autism,account]
Thelma Wheatley.
Life on Hold: A Mother and Son's Journey Through Autism (2003).
ISBN: 1894663330 (paperback, 272 pages). [autism,account]
Thelma Wheatley.
My Sad is All Gone: A Family's Triumph over Violent Autism
(Lucky Press, 2004). ISBN: 0976057603 (paperback, 290 pages).
[autism,account]
Kevin Whelan.
Izzy Baia (Marino Books, 1998). A carer's thoughts on autism.
The author cared for Brian O'Connor, a 16-year-old with autism.
ISBN: 186023075X (paperback, 80 pages). [autism,account]
Liane Holliday Willey.
Asperger Syndrome in the Family: Redefining Normal (London:
Jessica Kingsley Pub, 2001). Amazon lists publisher as 'Taylor
& Francis' ISBN: 1853028738 (paperback, 172 pages).
[autism,aspergers,account]
Liane Holliday Willey.
Pretending to be Normal: Living with Asperger's Syndrome
(London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1999). Foreword by Tony
Attwood. http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/autism/hol_pre.html ISBN:
1853027499 (paperback, 144 pages). [autism,aspergers,account]
Donna Williams.
Everyday Heaven: Journeys Beyond the Stereotypes of Autism
(Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004). ISBN: 1843102110
(paperback, 224 pages). [autism,account]
Donna Williams.
Like Color to the Blind: Soul Searching and Soul Finding (New
York: Times Books, 1996). Canada: Doubleday. Third in series.
http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/autism/wil_nob.html ISBN:
0385255950 (paperback, Doubleday, 1996); ISBN: 0812926404
(paperback, 288 pages); ISBN: 1853027200 (Jessica Kingsley,
1998). [autism,account]
Donna Williams.
Nobody Nowhere: The Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic
(Random, 1992). Doubleday, 1992. 219 pages. Also Corgi Books.
The autobiography of an autistic woman; bestseller in early
1993. Shows an autistic person surviving an abusive family
situation; painful to read. List member reactions: some
describe it as truly amazing and very valuable; others don't
recommend it at all.
http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/autism/wil_nob.html ISBN:
0385254253 ; ISBN: 0552995126 (paperback, Corgi, 1993); ISBN:
0380722178 (paperback, 248 pages, Avon Books, 1994); ISBN:
0812920422 (hardcover, 219 pages, New York: Time Books, 1992,
LCCN: 92-053669); ISBN: 1853027189 (Jessica Kingsley, 1998);
ISBN: 0944993818 (audio cassette, abridged, Audio Literature,
1994). [autism,account]
Donna Williams.
Not Just Anything (Future Horizons, 1995). Reader: a number of
autistic people...are quite attached to it. ISBN: 1885477155
(paperback, 180 pages); ISBN: 1843102285 (paperback, 144
pages, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004). [autism,account]
Donna Williams.
Somebody Somewhere: Breaking Free from the World of Autism
(1993). Also Doubleday, 1994. Donna explores the four years
since her diagnosis and her attempts to leave her 'world under
glass' and live normally. Shows some of the distortions of
perception an autistic person may have, and possibilities for
un-learning them. But hard to read without having 1st read the
other book, as it refers to events in that book.
http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/autism/wil_nob.html ISBN:
0812925246 (paperback, Times Books, 1995); ISBN: 0812922875
(hardcover, 238 pages, New York: Time Books, 1994); ISBN:
0385255004 (paperback, Bantam Books of Canada); ISBN:
1853027197 (paperback, 208 pages, Jessica Kingsley, 1998,
1995); ISBN: 0552141984 (paperback, 288 pages, Corgi, 1995);
ISBN: 0944993869 (audio cassette, abridged, Audio Literature,
1994). [autism,account]
Pearl M. Wilson.
If You Knew Nicky (London: Angus and Robertson, 1983).
Photographs by Sandra Irvine. Also published in Sydney &
Melbourne. A girl describes her autistic brother.
[autism,account,children]
Stephen Wiltshire.
Cities (London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1989). Pictures by an
autistic. [autism,account]
Stephen Wiltshire.
Drawings (London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1987). Pictures by an
autistic. [autism,account]
Stephen Wiltshire.
Floating Cities: Venice, Amsterdam, Leningrad and Moscow
(London: Michael Joseph, 1991). 146 pages. Also New York:
Summit, 1991. Pictures by an autistic artist, age 16. Forward
by Oliver Sacks. [autism,account]
Stephen Wiltshire.
Stephen Wiltshire's American Dream (London: Michael Joseph,
1993). Also New York: Summit, 1993 [autism,account]
Dietmar Zoeller.
Ich gebe nicht auf: Aufzeichnungen und Briefe eines
autistischen jungen Mannes, der versucht, sich die Welt zu
oeffnen (Bern: Scherz Verlag, 1992). Ich gebe nicht auf: I
won't give up. ISBN: 3502188866 (Scherz, 224 pages); ISBN:
3423304529 (DTV, 1995). [autism,account,fc,german]
Movies and Television
Movies
Backstreet Dreams.
1990. Directed by Rupert Hitzig. 104 minutes. Brooke Shields,
Sherilyn Fenn, Tony Fields, Burt Young, Anthony Franciosa.
Gangster ends up having to care for his autistic son.
Being There.
1979. Not about autism, but the main character has some
autistic characteristics. A satire on modern culture. Peter
Sellers plays Chance the Gardner, a naive and possibly mentally
challenged man who has done nothing but garden and watch TV,
then who finds himself thrown into the "real world". Based on
Jerzy Kosinski's book *Being There* of 1971.
The Boy Who Could Fly.
1986. Directed by Nick Castle. 114 minutes. Jay Underwood, Lucy
Deakins, Fred Savage, Colleen Dewhurst, Fred Gwinne, Louise
Fletcher. This movie is sometimes referred to as including an
autistic boy, but that is using the word "autistic" in its
general sense (retreat into fantasy) rather than the sense of
this memo (early infantile autism syndrome). The main
character, who is withdrawn due to trauma and shock, won't
speak to anyone and just sits on the top of his roof and
pretends he is flying. The film itself delves into fantasy.
Change of Habit.
1969. Directed by William Graham. 97 minutes. Elvis Presley,
Mary Tyler Moore. Elvis is a Doctor, Mary Tyler Moore is a nun.
One of Elvis's patients is autistic.
Forrest Gump.
Not about autism, but has been cited as a worthwhile movie on
disabilities by members of the AUTISM mailing list. A story
about a slow-witted man who leads a fantastic life. Stars Tom
Hanks.
House of Cards.
1993. Kathleen Turner and Tommy Lee Jones. Directed by Michael
Lessac. 107 minutes. It is about a mother with a daughter that
takes on "autism-like" symptoms after the death of the girl's
father.
L'enfant Sauvage.
Movie of the wild boy of Aveyron by Francois Truffaut. In
French, subtitled version called The Wild Child. I would guess
it draws from the book by Jean-Marc Gaspard Itard, The Wild Boy
of Aveyron.
Lorenzo's Oil.
Not about autism, but has been cited as a worthwhile movie on
disabilities by members of the AUTISM mailing list. About a boy
with ALD and his parents' pursuit of a treatment not accepted
by the established professionals.
Mercury Rising.
Movie in previews as of 1/98. Bruce Willis. It is a thriller,
the plot being that a nine-year-old boy with autism cracks a
secret code, then people try to kill him. It is based on the
Ryne Douglas Pearson novel, Simple Simon. Viewer: it is an
action movie, but the depiction of autism is pretty good.
Mollie.
Elizabeth Shue, Aaron Eckhart. As of 1/99, due 3/99. Said to be
based on a true story about a woman cured of autism. In it a
man gets custody of his sister who is released from an
institution; they find a cure; and she becomes a genius.
Nell.
Stars Jody Foster as Nell, a person who lived alone from
childhood in the mountains. The character shows some autistic
characteristics.
Newport.
(future). As of 5/96, a movie project by DreamWorks/Speilberg,
possibly staring Robin Williams, based on a the true story of
two autistic-like people who are married.
Nobody Nowhere.
(future). As of 5/99, a movie project by Touchstone Pictures to
portray Donna William's book of the same name.
The Other Sister.
1999. Not about autism, but portrays some of the problems of
the mentally challenged.
Rain Man.
1988. Directed by Barry Levinson. 140 minutes. Dustin Hoffman,
Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino. Hoffman plays an autistic adult.
Generally considered to be a realistic portrayal, but some
professionals who do not give much credit to large institutions
did not like the ending that showed that that was where the
autistic belonged.
Silence.
1974. Directed by John Korty. 90 minutes. Will Geer, Ellen
Geer, Ian Geer, Richard Kelton. Autistic boy becomes lost in
the woods. Also known as Crazy Jack and the Boy.
Silent Fall.
1994. Richard Drefus, Linda Hamilton, John Lithgow. Autistic
boy is only witness to murder and psychologist mulls about how
to get him to report what he saw. Thomas McKean (see Accounts),
contributor to the AUTISM list did some consulting on this
movie.
The Stone Boy.
1984. This movie is sometimes referred to as including an
autistic boy, but that is using the word "autistic" in its
general sense (retreat into fantasy) rather than the sense of
this memo (early infantile autism syndrome). It is the story of
a boy who accidentally shoots his brother, then as a result of
the shock loses touch with reality.
Tim.
Mel Gibson, Piper Laurie. May-December romance between an older
woman and a young slightly-delayed man who at least one reader
has described as Asperger's or mildly autistic. The movie was
based upon a book of the same name, though I could not tell you
if the character in the book had any hint of autism. In 1996, a
TV movie was shown staring Candice Bergen based upon the same
story.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Does not label its character as autistic, but the movie has
been cited as a worthwhile movie on disabilities by members of
the AUTISM mailing list. 1993. Gilbert's brother Arnie,
convincingly played by Leonardo DiCaprio, is a teenager with an
unspecified mental disability who exhibits behaviors and
creates stresses for his family that are familiar to many
viewers with autistic children and siblings. This was
Leonardo's second movie. Even though autism is never mentioned,
it has been cited as the best autism movie.
The Wizard.
1989. Luke Edwards, Fred Savage. Features a character who seems
autistic who is talented at video games.
Television Movies and Miniseries
?
Early 80's TV movie about a boy, played by the same boy who was
on Little House on the Prairie.
The Broken Cord.
TV movie with Jimmy Smits: Not about autism per se, but about a
man who adopts a child later diagnosed to have Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome (FAS) which can include autistic symptoms. Sad movie.
Circle of Children.
Jane Alexander. See book of same title.
Cries From the Heart.
A CBS TV Movie aired on October 16, 1994. An 11-year-old
autistic boy named Michael (Bradley Pierce), the only child of
a divorcee (Melissa Gilbert) who reluctantly enrolls her son in
a special residential school. Michael learns quickly there,
under the guidance of a compassionate tutor (Patty Duke) who
teaches him to communicate via a lap-top computer. Using this
technology, Michael types out the unspeakable: allegations of
sexual abuse. Replayed on CBS, September 9, 1997.
David's Story.
or David's Mother. A CBS TV Movie aired April 10, 1994. Kristie
Allie stars as an overprotective single mom raising a
15-year-old boy with autism. She loves her son dearly, but is
convinced he's helpless. The movie deals with the mom's
spiritual growth, which must occur before she can allow her son
to grow up and develop. Michael Goorjian won an Emmy playing
the autistic boy.
Family Pictures.
An ABC television program to air Sunday, March 21, 1993.
Anjelica Houston stars in the story of a family that must pull
together when they are forced to deal with the needs of an
autistic child.
The Innocent.
An NBC TV Movie aired on September 25, 1994. Keegan MacIntosh
stars as a 9-year-old autistic boy who witnesses a murder. Also
has Kelsey grammer.
The Invaders.
TV miniseries on Fox. Scott Bacula plays a human who was
autistic as a child.
Journey of the Heart.
TV movie aired on CBS, 3/2/97. Stars Cybill Shepherd and
Stephen Lang. About a blind autistic boy with musical talent.
Based upon a true story, that of Tony DeBloi.
The Silence of Adultery.
A Lifetime TV Movie aired on August 9, 1995. Kate Jackson stars
as an otherwise good person who is lured into or driven to
adultery. Kirk Nicewonger's somewhat cynical review includes
the sentence: "She's actually A Good Person--she works with
autistic children, for Pete's sake!".
Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love.
Docudrama produced in 1979 with James Farentino, Kathryn
Harrold, Stephen Elliott, directed by Glenn Jordan. Showing
planned: Lifetime cable channel, 2PM EST, 1/29/96. Owned by NBC
and not available for sale or rent, but as of 3/6/96 available
for borrowing from The Option Institute. Another showing
scheduled on Lifetime 8/27/96.
A Test of Love.
About Rosemary Crossley and Annie MacDonald (who has Cerebral
Palsey) and how facilitated communication started. I'm not sure
if this is a documentary or a docudrama.
Under the Piano.
Stars actress Megan Follows in the lead role of Rosetta, a
young autistic girl with musical talent in a large family
during the '40s, '50s, and '60s.
Television Series Episodes
All My Children.
Had a character in the early '90s (1995?): an autistic girl
named Lily who was passive.
Baywatch.
An episode set in Hawaii featured a boy who preferred to put
together his puzzles faced down among other things.
Crisis Center.
I heard it had autistic character: I'm not sure if it was one
episode or a running character.
Highlanders.
An episode includes what appeared to be a high functioning
adult male autistic person. Highlanders is a fantasy series
spun off of movies of the same name. In the series, there there
are immortal people who live among us who have their own own
fights to the death, etc. The autistic character is killed in